Journey of the Broken Ideals
by Liriell
Summary: Time changes everything, it robs us of the choice to stay who we are. But just like how time can change who we are, it can also help us to grow, even gain something in return. For Hera, it was more than her marriage, more than her love. It was about discovering who she is, who she used to be and the ideals she had lost along her marriage. New Version of Sincerely Untrue
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, except for the plot

**Title:** Sincerely Untrue

* * *

Famous couples.

Through time, history has given us many of them. Each with a different story, each with a different ending. Some of them are real, some of them may be real and some of them are only fictions, but just as beautiful.

For example, even though fictional, we have of course Romeo and Juliet, two young teenagers, star-crossed lovers, as they are often described, who fell in love with each other, despite the fact that they are both coming from feuding houses. The tragic story ended in mutual death, the only place where they were capable of being together and the only thing, ending the long rivalry between their families.

Or the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, a love which went past the borders of mortality and out of reach of death's hand.

However, there are also couples, whose love and history was so touching and outrageously unbelievable that they went down into history.

Such as the probably most infamous couple in the English History of the man, the King, who had torn his kingdom apart just for the union with the one woman he claimed to love, to be legally accepted. It was a shame that the long desired marriage ended in bloodshed.

Those are only a small facet of what couples history has presented us. But, if we were to talk about couples, there is one that must not be forgotten to be mentioned.

After all, they were one of the first ones in history to show that it does not always end in a happy ending, and that marriage is not the end of the journey, but rather the beginning. Their journey was one filled with heartbreak, bitterness and a fine line between hating and loving. And frankly, Zeus and Hera are with no doubt also one of the most twisted couples. It was not the fact that he cheated on her again and again, with a continuity that seemed to be boundless; this was only a fact that made him appear less sympathetic. No, it was rather the fact that his wife, the Queen Goddess Hera, could not find it to leave the straying husband of hers, but instead even staying faithful to him.

But every story has yet to reach its peak, just as every woman has her limit. In this case, both are tied together.

* * *

Iris was strolling with her mistress around her garden. The beauty the garden displayed, the vivacity, the serene green, never ceased to amaze her and enchant her. She knew for one thing that it was Hera's pride, one which she always tended and cared for. She had to admit that she had at time wondered whether there was a special reason for the Queen's diligent care.

"Iris, I want to ask you something."

"Of course, anything that pleases you." Iris replied with a lack of hesitance that made Hera smile.

"You do not have to answer this, this was what I meant."

"But answer it, I will. After all, it is my duty to serve to your pleasure, whether it is delivering your messages or whatever you expect of me."

"The naivety you hold behind your determined eyes amaze me, Iris." Hera caressed her cheek. Iris' loyalty warmed her heart in a way, which she had missed being warmed by. It is almost sad how nowadays this was her only solace and the only source of some kind of happiness.

"Your majesty-"

"It is fine," she said and turned around. She bent down, her hands lifting up a small velvety white rose, with red edges at the blooms. However, as pretty as it looked, the both of them knew that it was slowly withering.

"What was your biggest mistake?" she asked her companion.

"Excuse me?"

"Iris, tell me, have you had done something, which ignites an unbelievable regret inside you?

"Milady, I do not understand your question." Actually, it was rather that she did not understand the meaning of her question.

"Maybe you are," she whispered. "Let me rephrase my question: Have you ever made a choice, knowing that you are going to regret it?"

"No, I have not." Hera chuckled again, when she heard the fierce and assured reply of her handmaiden.

"Are you sure, my dear Iris?"

"Milady, I do not have the impression that whatever I might answer, it would not matter, as there is something specific that you want to hear."

"Excuse me for insistence it is merely hard for me to believe that there is truly nothing for you to regret. Everyone has something, some smaller, some more enjoyable than others. But being something, it surely is."

"You are probably right," Iris agreed slowly. "However, it would never appear in that manner to me." Iris bit her lip, remembering that key moment, that certain crucial second, when doubt had overcome her and she had started to glance at the path she would forsake. She smiled bitter-sweetly at the memory. A sense of nostalgia overwhelmed her, which she pushed away quickly.

"Sometimes," Iris began, "or rather, they do not appear as regret or some kind of mistake to us. When we have chosen our path, we have chosen it. There is no turning around and when I did, I knew what I was doing. I had thought a lot about my decision and in the end, and I guess it is in general, we make that decision based on our hope that it would turn out the way we ... had hoped it would."

"And even when it does not, we would not consider it as such." Hera caressed the withering bloom.

"Not instantly, nor completely..."

"It takes some time."

"Iris, what would you do, when it turns out that it had truly been a mistake, perhaps not today, or tomorrow, or in soon time, perhaps never, but ... what if?"

"I would be inconsolable." Iris chuckled bitterly.

"Are you that assured, when it comes to your choice? Do yo not even regret it?"

"No," Iris replied, although with hesitance that had nod been there, when Hera first asked her.

"Not even when it comes to that foolish youngster?"

"Your Majesty, I love my husband." Iris defended herself.

"Of course, my dear, I never doubted that. It is merely that..." Hera trailed off, having lost herself in the process of what she wanted to say to Iris and what she was thinking to herself.

"My Queen?" Iris voiced out, unsure what the pause might mean. Indeed, it seems that it had some effect on the Queen, as she woke up from her pondering thoughts, much like a trance like state. She blinked a few times.

"Mhm..., I am sorry," she breathed out with a quiet giggle. Then, she looked at Iris with interested eyes. "In comparison to Zephyr, he had never deserved you."

Iris probably should have encountered something, anything to her mistress' words. But instead of trying to find an answer, she merely smiled, knowing that she had never been able to find anything to say, when it came to that matter, nor would she now. Thus, the only thing she could do was to turn up the corners of her mouth. But it was not a smile either...

Suddenly, Iris felt a swift change of atmosphere.

The air began to feel heavier, humid, yet dry and she swore, she could feel the wind around her become more electrified. It was that triggering thought that made her mind click.

"Hera-!"

"I know." Usually, being the Goddess of rainbow and former messenger of the Gods, she was the first one to depict the sudden change in the air, caused by the aura of another arriving God. But she should not be surprised, after all, it was her husband, right now storming towards them that they were talking about.

Indeed, it was Zeus, with all of his fury and lightnings thundering around him, as he strolled with a firm walk towards them. Judging from his appearance and the way his face was crunched, Iris knew that something was off and even more when he was approaching them. Fearing more for her mistress' well-being,0 she stepped forwards, preferring to shield her with her body. However, maybe out of pride, or even care, Hera knew she could not reconcile this thought with her conscience and thus, she held up her hand, placing it softly on Iris' shoulder, gently pushing her away.

Iris, too confused by her action, did not notice how her other sovereign had already approached them.

"What did you do?!"

Hera was unaffected by his state of emotion, as well as the danger he was emitting. Instead, she looked right through him, making out the line of Athena right behind her husband. Apparently, she had had a hard time keeping up with the fast steps of her husband, as she seemed to gasping a little. It brought a smile upon her face, to see that even the almighty beloved daughter of Zeus to be fallible as well.

"I am talking to you!" he demanded again at his wife, noticing that she paid no attention to him, which further added fuel to his anger.

Hera snapped her eyes, her gaze leaving his daughter and back to him again. Indeed, by his appearance she could tell that he was angry. His hands were balled into fists, his body was tense, intently so, he wore a grim expression and more so his eyes - those beautiful cerulean eyes he must had inherited from their grandfather, the God of the Sky - were narrowed with a ferocious look that was especially reserved for her. By looking like that, one could almost distinguish the small thin lines of age on him, signalizing her of his careless neglect of himself.

She wondered what it was this time that she had done to reap his anger. Frustration spread inside her. She was frustrated about the way he was treating her, frustrated about the situation in general and she was frustrated at herself, how above the frustration, it was the resignation that she felt the most when it comes to the situation. In the back of her mind, she wondered again, how it had come to this, how that it could be her that was waiting for her husband to humiliate her again. How could this person be her?

"Well? What is it? Me and Iris had been in a conversation, before you so nicely interrupted us," she closed her eyes, so that he could perceive neither her concern for him nor her own insecurity, but the snappy tone in which she spoke to him.

He had to admit that for a moment, he was fazed by the look in her eyes. They were unlike her, but luckily she had looked away soon enough that it would not bother him anymore when he continued shouting at his wife.

"What did you do to her?"

"Her?" Hera feigned ignorance, as she repeated her husband's words. She wrapped one arm around her waist, the other leaning on that very arm, whilst tapping her finger on her chin, as if she was truly contemplating on who it could be that he was referring to.

"You know very well what I am talking about, woman!" he continued raising his voice at her. However, still nonchalant, she looked at him with big wide brown eyes as him. If he were any other man, he would have believed that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Sadly, I -" Furious, and at ends with his patience, he grabbed her elbow, yanking her towards him. His grip grew tighter by the second, yet both did not relent. Instead, they stood face to face, both eyes burning with intense fire and pure and unmasked resentment.

"What did you do to her?" She rolled her eyes.

"Nothing that she did not deserve," she mumbled in stubborn annoyance.

"Hera," and although his grip was inflicting her more and more pain, perhaps even more than she could endure, she kept her facade. "I will not repeat it."

"Oh my, that is a sentence I have not heard for a long time. A century ago, or maybe two? I am not quite sure, yet it not as though I care..." she smirked, when she saw the fire unfold behind his eyes before her, like the most beautiful scenery, as natural as flowers blossoming on the first day of spring, it was more beautiful to watch than any of Apollo's favorites among his blessed painting and she definitely understood more of this than those silly little pictures those silly mortals seems to be fascinated by.

"How dare you-"

"Calm down, like I said, I did not do anything. I merely warned her- Ah!" Zeus gripped her wrist tightly in his hands, squeezing them with a forceful might that would have made any person bow down in pain.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, as calm as possible, even though all of them heard her quivering tone.

"We all know that you warning are not just warnings. So what. Did. You. Do?!"

"And we all know that you actually do not care much about that or that pretty little girl that you are exploiting, all in the name of your ego, no?" Hera mockingly added fuel to the fire. "Now, let go of me!" Hera repeated, staring fearlessly into his furiously blazing eyes. Not once, not even when he tightened his grip, did she cringe away from his stare. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime for the two bystanders, he let go of her.

"How dare you!" He threw her arm away. It was a warning for her to not cross the line, as neither of them wanted to know what the outcome would be.

"I dare," she hissed the words slowly, her other hand covering her painfully throbbing wrist, but still putting on the front as though she cared little for the pain and even more about taunting him, showing him how little she cared for him, "because I can. It was so slowly that even her husband would be able to comprehend them.

"Who do you think you are? You are **nothing** without me!" he continued shouting at her.

"You? Who are you kidding? You are just a little lost child, hiding behind your many conquests in hope that they can cover up your insecurities!"

"You will speak to me with respect!"

"In the same you are giving me the respect I deserved?" she huffed. "Well, then I hope you do not raise your hopes too far. You do not want to make that experience, heaven knows you are not capable of coping with that. Believe me, _I_ must know."

"I am your husband! I am your sovereign."

"I am as much of a Queen to this land, as you are King here."

"Without me, you are nothing."

"And there you go repeating yourself again."

"Do not push it, Hera!"

"Oh, but I will never dare, my dear sovereign for you are the only one whom I strive to please and please I love to do so much." Hera pushed it even more by curtsying in front of him. "Are those the same words that your beloved measly pathetic mistresses whisper in your ear? But they do not even need to, do they? For their wondrous beauty is enough to entice such a kind of promise and their conquer is enough of a price to give you the seemingly satisfactions of ... indeed, of what?"

Hera continued taunting him. She knew him well enough to know when and how to push her buttons. Sadly, she never knew when it was time for her to step down, for her own sake.

"Sometimes I wonder why I married you. I was a fool," Zeus muttered and in order to cover her hurt, Hera encountered him with an even snarkier remark and somewhere, also in hope that it would hurt him as much as it hurt her.

"Yes dear, but then I was in love and did not care."

"You-" Zeus began to hiss menacingly. "I had warned you." This time, he was gripping her arm. But there was something more. This time, Hera could feel a burning sensation on her skin, frizzling and scorching, as he tried to mark her with fear. But she refused to submit. Instead, whatever ounce of fear she felt, turned into anger. With the very same arm that he was inflicting pain upon, she grabbed his upper arm, pushing all the pain that she felt back into his, hoping that whilst her nail dug into his arm, probably piercing his skin.

She smirked, when she saw the same indifference, the same lack of vulnerability she hoped to display, on his face.

"But that is not what you are thinking, is it? Why do you not enlighten us, mighty Zeus? Since even I am doubting sometimes, for this explanation seems to be so mundane and foolish that it is hardly believable and yet... there is nothing to wonder, is there? Because it fits perfectly, at least from my point of view. You are nothing, but an insecure boy, who is nothing but mundane and foolish a- Ah!"

And there was it. Hera turned her head back towards him, but she was not truly facing him. She did not see him. No, her mind was too preoccupied. Slowly, Hera raised her hand. It was not trembling, or maybe a little bit? It was cool, or cold, depending on how or from where you see it.

The loud sting of clash that finally ripped the tension apart.

It was the sound that everyone had been dreading to come, for what they had waited so anxiously for, as they knew there had been no chance that she would get off from her words so easily.

Her fingertips had touched her soft cheek, gently. Fragile. So very fragile.

Similar to the fragility of the situation.

What followed after that was silence.

She stroked it for a few times, with her fingertips. It felt good, when she did that. It soothed the burn. At least, when it burned her skin. The rest was a different matter.

Thereafter, came Hera's laughter. Her usual deep voice, once the most beautiful sound and lighter than any bell, now in a fit of laughter. Loud, shrilling and just so broken that it penetrated your heart and caused goosebumps from your whole skin to arise.

Iris covered her mouth. It was not because she was shocked that Zeus had slapped his wife. Then, she was shocked that she could not move. The only thing was that covered the silence for her was the rattling in her head, the whispers so much like her voice that repeated time and time again what had happened.

Zeus had slapped Hera.

He slapped her. Easy and done.

He had slapped her.

Slap.

**SLAP.**

It was as though the sound of how her mistress had been hurt was continuously playing over and over again in her head. Yet it was the sound of her hysterical laughter that woke her up from her daze. It was that weird and shrieking cry for help that made her finally realize what had happened.

What really made her shiver and almost break down was the heartbreak of her mistress, the laughter that was so hollow and eerie that broke her own heart.

For some reason, Iris violet eyes did not rest on her mistress and surely not on her husband. Instead, it moved towards Athena. Strong unyielding and wise beyond what had ever been Athena. But somehow, when casting her violet eyes on that female warrior goddess she could not help but realize how true Hera's words are.

No one is infallible.

Not even Athena. Her expression was proof enough. After having spent so many years alongside her mistress, the inapproachable, aloof and always well-reserved lady that was Hera, she had learned that her mistress was far from all that. One had to read just a little more between the lines and after having excelled in that skill, she could clearly deduce that Athena was in the same state of mind as Iris herself. But who could blame her? Zeus may have been a lot of things, a cheater, a bastard, a spineless lover, a cheater. An adulterer.

But never had he struck his wife.

Well, until now.

There was this hollow twinkle in her eyes, a twinkle that usually indicated her of having won something. She was the winner, the one who got what she deserved and yet, or maybe it was due to that, that her eyes were so hollow.

"You won," she smirked, or smiled? She turned her back to him.

He wondered why is it then that he felt lost.

Athena watched her father leave. Never in her live had she ever witnessed a scene like that, nor had she ever imagined that such a thing could happen. She was not prepared for that and so, she was clueless as to what she was supposed to do. She berated herself, for not being prepared. But poor Athena, how could she, when in the end it comes to two unpredictable and unsteady characters as her father and his Queen wife.

Iris watched as her mistress disappeared among the big peacefully green plants that she tended for so lovingly. She should have went after her, taken care of her like Hera had done for her so many times. She had wanted to. But her feets were glued to the ground, unable to move, much like her body was too struck obey her and therefore, the only thing she was capable of doing was watching both parties depart from the crime scene.

Her beautifully rainbow eyes sought out Athena's. Both women were incapable of preventing whatever that was happening. Both of them had just witnessed what had transpired before them and neither of them had done something. Both of them were too abandoned by words to speak out their shock.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey there, I guess it has been quite a long time, since I updated. Well, here I am, almost done with my finales and also, done with the very first chapter of of this new version of Sincerely Untrue! At first, I had just wanted to rewrite a few things, exchange words for some other and correct mistake and put a little more depth to what I considered superficial, but in the end, this is what came out. A complete new time line, with different events and paths, even attitudes.

I think the next chapter is going to be a surprise for everyone, who is in for HeraxHades love scenes, but well... it's going to be surprise.

I hope you guys enjoyed this new version of mine. I was actually quite satisfied with the first chapter of the old version, but somehow, I like this one even better, more drama, more violence, more sad. Tell me what you think :)

Until then.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, except for the plot

**Title:** Sincerely Untrue

* * *

"My lady Hera, please, wait!"

"Iris," Hera sighed and stopped walking, watching as her faithful companion reach her. "I take it that you had no problem finding me." She spoke with a raised eyebrow, as if Iris had done anything wrong.

"I was worried for you. I-"

"I meant what I said. I will not go back and no, you cannot change my mind. Are there any questions left?" In all the years, she spent serving her mistress, she had never seen her so... calm and collected and yet so crude and confused.

"My lady, I-"

"Iris," Hera shook her head and looked away, "do me a favor and leave. I desire to be alone right now, without any company."

"I cannot possibly leave you alone!"

"Yes, you can! Because I said so!"

Iris bit her lip, her rainbow-colored eyes watching her mistress with uncertainty. She felt the deep desire within her to reach out her hand, in hope that she would be able to reach her. She also felt the desire to comfort her, but no matter how much and how many times, she would take Hera in her arms, it would not change anything. At the end of the day, she was still Hera, calm and collected and yet so utterly lost. No words, no action and no hug could change her character.

"How long have you...-?"

When a long time passed, since she posed that question, Iris was almost led to believe that she shall never receive the answer to her question, yet her mistress surprised her by bestowing her with one.

"I have thought about this, but I never thought why, or when, or how..."

She had never noticed that.

Her Queen was indeed someone, who mastered the skills of masquerade with perfection.

She wondered whether there would be someone worthy of unmasking her, or least wise enough to look past something so skin deep that she herself would get lost into.

"I..." She knew it was probably in vain, nevertheless, the Goddess of Messenger reached out her hand, reaching for something that seemed out of reach and yet, without looking into her mistress' eyes, she knew that she would not have wanted it. At least she guessed, with Hera, one can never know for sure. "I am sorry."

Hera, with her back long turned to Iris, her eyes up to the sky, nodded.

"Tell everyone else that I have no desire to grand them audience and better yet, I want no one to search for me, you included."

"But-"

"When I will need something, I will call for you, until then..." Hera waited for the next words as well. She contemplated. "... spend more time with your husband, the one, who was not a mistake. Love him."

With that, Iris watched her mistress disappear before her eyes, so agonizingly slowly that it broke her heart.

* * *

"Father, where are you going?"

"As you can see, I am leaving."

"But why? Why do you not stay? Where are you going to?"

"I am going back to Eleanor," he replied, while walking down the path. Athena, still hot on his heels, almost stumbled upon his words.

"You are running away?" she asked.

"I am not running away, I am going back."

"Why are you doing this?" Athena asked softly. If she had been wiser, she would have been able to detect the bitterness that was hidden behind his mask of pretense.

"What do you want, Athena?" Zeus sighed, stopping in his tracks.

Athena, who could finally halt, watched her him, whilst searching for an answer herself.

"No this," she replied.

"What an enlightening answer." Zeus mocked her. Athena winced at his harsh voice. She, who has always been the most beloved and doted upon daughter of Zeus, was not used to this hostile, cold treatment of her father. She almost went back on her words, just to please him, succumbing to his wills. But she refused to let things sweep under the carpet like he wanted her to do.

"You could have stayed, should have. You should not have ignored what had happened."

"And what might that possibly be? Nothing had happened back there. It might be wise of you to stop seeing things that are not there."

"No, that's not true," Athena disagreed. "Instead of turning away, maybe it is time to face things and see them for what they are."

Zeus smiled at her.

"What? Just because they are different, does it have to mean that they are not one and the same?" So, for the first time did the the Goddess of Wisdom recognize the bitterness in him, finally seeing the bigger picture of her father. It was not just his look, it was in his smile, in the voice that was laced with regret and resignation. But it was especially the way he was now looking at her, with so much pity that it made her go cold, her body shivering under his gaze and she felt her her own heart go heavier, as her body got emptier.

"I..." she wondered what was there left to say. "...I am sure, you can still go back. She will still be there, you could still apologize."

"No, I doubt that," he said, looking past her, in his blue eyes that shone like clear, brilliant sky, a faraway look. "It is too late and I am too far to go back. You know her, she is not the waiting type."

* * *

"Zephyr has done a great job, do you not think so?" Hestia asked, admiring the Wind God's work.

"I believe that the rumors circulating around him lately are more worthy of attention." Hermes smirked antagonistically.

"You are unbelievable," Hestia shook her head with a giggle. "Do you still hold a grudge over what happened?"

"Oh Hestia, I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't you?" She asked with a heartwarming smile.

"My dear Hestia, you are reading far more into this than what is there," Hermes explained calmly in a matter of fact voice, never losing his mask. But he probably never noticed how rigid he became suddenly.

"Really? And it does not concern the beautiful goddess whom he married a few centuries ago, with whom you were according to rumors heavily involved with? You know, whose rumors of her beautiful rainbow colored eyes does not even do justice?"

"Indeed, you are reading too much into this. You, out of everyone, should know how gloating I am, when it comes to matters like this. No one is spared, not even-"

He stopped in his mid-sentence, his head turning around and if Hestia could have seen his eyes, then she might have noticed the frantic look in his usually mischievous eyes.

"What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"I..." But there was no need for her to look into her eyes, not when she already heard all of it in his voice.

"Hermes?"

"Iris..." he whispered and now, it was Hestia's time to turn rigid.

"She is here?!" It was unusual, considering that during a time like this, she would be besides Hera, like she ought to, talking slow walks through Hera's most prized garden. But this could not be the case. If Hera would be present, then Hestia would have felt it. Almost like how Hermes felt that Iris was near and how he was able to detect her form, shaking and shivering and hidden in a deep corner that they would usually not even have taken notice from.

"Iris," he whispered her name again, this time, even the said Goddess heard him.

"Hermes," she sounded surprised to see him near, for a moment having forgotten the despair her aura was just laced with.

"What happened?" he had asked, although Hestia doubted that he cared to hear her answer, for even before hearing what she had to say, he was already by her side. She wondered whether he was aware of his own actions, of how he put his arm around her shoulder or how he pressed her, in comparison to his, small form towards his chest. She also wondered whether he knew how comforting and just so out of character he was acting. It was a far cry from the typical, gloating, as he just put recently, persona he put on display.

"Are you fine?" he asked her.

"No, I mean yes, I am fine. Everything is fine," she declared and tried to reign in her breath. She tried to sit up, looking as regal and collected as usual. Hermes let her go, but never too far out of his reach.

"You don't look like you are doing fine."

"No, really, I am fine," she insisted. "Maybe I am just under shock."

Hestia wondered what kind of shock she must have been put under. She had not even noticed them approaching, until Hermes touched her. She even flinched from his touch, until she finally noticed who it was and it was just until then that she calmed down.

"What was it?" he asked in a gentle tone.

Iris stayed silent, looking down towards the heavenly ground. Hermes realized that he should not have questioned her. It seemed to throw her back into whatever she had just been. Worried that this would happen, he pushed her back into his arms again.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he whispered soothingly to her, stroking her back gently in the notion that he knew would calm her down.

"Iris?" It was the first time that Hestia had spoken. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Iris breath hitched. It seemed as though Hestia's voice had awoken something in her.

She slowly pushed Hermes away, silently looking at him to signalize him that she was okay. She turned back to Hestia.

"I am sorry to make all of you worry over me," she threw a glance at Hermes, but quickly averted her eyes back to Hestia. "I assure you, it was nothing. It was _probably_ nothing. I-"

"Where is Hera?" Hestia asked innocently, but the flinch she earned was noticed by eyes that were far from innocent.

"She... I think she would return soon. I hope."

Her answers were too flustered, too jumpy and much to unusual for Iris that Hestia had a hard time believing them. She sighed and sat down next to her.

"Iris, you know that you can tell me anything, right?" she spoke in a tone that was irresistibly filled with a motherly voice, of which she knew that most of the youngsters from the second generation could not resist. She just forgot sometimes that Iris was not one of them, instead, like an instinct, she withdrew from her, pushing herself closer to Hermes.

"Hestia-"

"I don't think that this has anything to do with you, Hestia. It is in no way your concern. You will find out soon or later."

"So it does concern my sister... then I take my brother is involved as well..."

"Please..." Iris kept shaking her head.

"Hestia, just leave it," Hermes rarely spoke so harshly to her, but she was not surprised, after all, considering for whose sake it was. But that did not mean that she would leave it be as he had expected from her. Just like him, she had someone to protect and she would disregard every feeling and relationship for this sake. Thus, they continued to glare at each other, leaving Iris sitting rather uncomfortably among the tension.

"Iris," the both of them looked rather caught off-guard, as they were approached by another person, even more so when it turned out to be busy Goddess of Wisdom, Athena.

"Athena," Iris stood up, as though she had been waiting the entire time for the Goddess. She went towards her.

"Have you-"

"I found him," Athena responded curtly. "But he rejected me. Considering how you look, you got one as well."

Iris looked away in shame.

"Athena, what is going on?"

Hermes was getting more and more confused by the minute and the more confused he got, the angrier he became at the whole mess. He did not like the fact that Iris seemed to be so shaken by whatever was going on. The worst thing was that she was withholding any information, leaving him in the dark as to what to do, how to comfort her.

"You owe me an explanation!" Hermes demanded.

"I owe you nothing, boy." Athena could rarely stand how insolent her brother was, worse, accepting that this was her brother.

"Like H-"

"Athena, please," Hestia began, stopping Hermes from causing more damage. "We just want to understand the situation more, so that we could perhaps solve the problem. It worries us as much as it does you, especially seeing you like this."

Hestia, being so motherly, was always the voice of reason, logical and wise and pushing every button that was necessary to persuade Athena. And she almost had her.

"Hestia-"

"No-" Iris gripped Athena's arm. "No, I promised her, I would not do that!" she whispered harshly at Athena.

"What did she tell you?" Athena began to suspect that there was more behind her story than her own. Something must have transpired while she was with Zeus, Hera must have said something. Iris was acting illogically.

"I..." she glanced towards the other two witnesses. "I promised..."

"Where is Hera?"

"Don't even try, Hestia already did." Athena looked at Hermes, then she looked back at Iris.

She had let go of her arm. At the moment, she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, contemplating on her further movements.

Iris knew that Hera would not want anyone to know what had happened, especially not the exact things. She was sure of that. She had spent too much time with her not to know how proud she was and how her pride would suffer greatly from that and Iris would hate for her mistress to experience such humiliation. After all, she was a woman as well, so she could understand how she felt, especially as a wife. She admired and loved Hera too much, but in any way, soon they would all know of her disappearance. Hestia and Hermes already noticed that something was wrong and that it involved their Queen and King. Hermes, being the gossip lover that he was, would never let this stay hidden.

She eyed Athena, like her, she wanted to know what happened with Zeus. What did he say? How did he react? Did he regret it? For the sake of her mistress, she wished that this was the case, but also knowing him, she knew that it was too improbable. He was too volatile, too unpredictable in his emotions for her to say for sure.

"Please, just leave this matter be. She did not want you to …."

"Well then, what did she want?" They all wondered that. Iris hesitated.

"Just leave this matter be, she… she wanted to be alone for a while. To think about all of this." Well, at least this was what she believed.

"Alone…?" Athena questioned.

"Where can we find her?" Hermes asked.

"She wants to be alone?" Hestia also joined their crew.

"Please," Iris begged.

"Where has she went?"

"What else did she tell you?"

"You have to be more precise, Iris!" Athena demanded forcefully.

"I-" She was usually headstrong, but this time, still an aftermath from the shock, she was overwhelmed with everything. They continued to throw questions after questions at her, each forcefully, in their own way, demanding answers from her. "No! Just damn it! Just no! Why can you not understand it?!"

It was like something had broken and now Iris went berserk, pushing each back in their corner.

"She said leave it be! So just leave it be!" she continued to shout at each of them. She looked furiously at them, each too stunned to say anything and before they did again, Iris decided to leave.

Ironically, being the Goddess of Rainbows, she left behind a trail of rainbowy glitters, shining with different colors behind, even when everything went out south.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing, except for the plot

**Title:** Sincerely Untrue

* * *

Rumors of Hera's disappearance spread out like wildfire.

It did not take long, until almost everyone heard of them. None of them knew the truth, except for a handful, two among them were supposedly missing, while two of them kept their light shut up tightly. Of course, this was not reason enough for the of immortality bored gods and goddesses to gossip, as speculations were thrown into the whole mess, with assumptions made and blames given and taken.

In other words, it was a mess made in heaven.

Hestia watched the events with painstakingly sharp eyes. She found it amusing, somewhere, beneath the worrisome surface. Everyone was walking on tiptoes, they were aware of the consequences, or maybe not; they refused to talk about it, even refer to it, it was like walking on ice, yet the shared curious glances they dared to take when they thought they were not being watched.

No matter how much they tried to ignore it, to dance around the bull in the chino shop, somewhere along, it was clearly obvious that they _knew._

Right now, Hestia was sitting in a round with her fellow goddesses, her circle of friends like one would like to refer them to. It was always such a enjoyable time, for those were more than just tolerable, in a way, they were of the same mind, sharing the same kind.

"Has anyone heard from Hermes lately?" Hestia asked.

"Why are you asking?" Harmonia asked.

"I am worried about him. The last time I saw him... he was... off. I hope he is doing fine."

"You are just wondering whether he will stay away from Hera's beloved maid, are you not?"

"Eris!" Harmonia gasped in outrage as she listened to her friend talk to bluntly.

"Merely saying what's on my mind."

Eris, a rather unusual guest at Hestia's sitting, took a sip from her cup.

"Eris, I hope you will further refrain from referring Iris as Hera's maid, she is her personal messenger and also, her most trusted confidante. It would do you a great deal if you do not forget it, especially in public," Themis, always conscious of the appropriate appearance and conduct, warned her.

"Of course, thank you so much, Themis," Eris declared with overly sweet fluttering eyes, which underlined the way her eyes shone mischievously with sarcasm.

"Me and Eris saw him, on our way here, if that is what you wanted to know, Hestia," Harmonia changed the topic in order to ease the tension that was building up with her honestly charming voice that was gifted to her as the goddess of harmony.

"You did?" Hestia seemed to be quite relieved. "Tell me about it."

"Ask Harmonia, she was the one who was talking to him. I was just waiting for the whole ordeal to be over and keep going on," Eris groaned.

"The only thing that surprises me is the fact that you did not taunt him," Hestia stated.

"Lost a bet to her," she mumbled and they knew she was referring to the goddess sitting next to her.

"The truth is, she tried to," Harmonia explained.

"We would not have expected anything else from you," Themis smiled graciously at her, a smile which the goddess of discord reciprocated.

"So, Harmonia, tell me, you talked to him?" Hestia changed the topic yet again back to where they started.

"Why yes, I did, we even shared a few nice words. He seems to be doing quite fine, if that was what you wanted to know."

Harmonia smiled in the way that only she as the goddess of harmony could, leaving the further words to the goddess next to her.

"I can never figure out whether you really mean what you said or whether you merely want to attain the peace," Eris declared bored.

"I do not know what you are talking about," Harmonia insisted on her innocence.

"I am sure you do not, you never do," Eris took a sip from her tea.

"The thing I find interesting is that you two seem to get along so well," Hestia referred to her and Harmonia. "Indeed, especially remembering how you two first started out. You could barely stand each other, which was not actually a surprise for anyone, considering your personalities and representations and now you are taking strolls together and everywhere else possible."

But it was not as though she disapproved of such developments. In fact, she welcomed them, such friendships were role-models for further developments and present antagonisms, dear mother, who knows how many existed on his heavenly place.

"Things changes and you, my dear Hestia, probably knows it the best that things are changing, do you not?" Eris folded her hand, her chin resting on them and slowly leaning forward to Hestia.

"Hermes never cared for her."

"You meant to say he never showed that he cared."

"Things are about to change right now.

* * *

"Is that not Poseidon over there?"

"You know what, I think you are right," Eris remarked with a raised eyebrow that indicated an interest that Harmonia did not pick up.

"Perhaps we shall greet him. I wonder whether his wife is accompanying him."

"I wonder about that as well. Now that there seems to be trouble in paradise for our top notch couple, they would surely take their place."

"Eris, you know that this is not true. There is no such rivalry-"

"Of course, I am aware of that," Eris rolled her eyes. "However... I do wonder what would happen, especially since it seemed not to be the case that his wife is here. Although one shall think she should, after all, given her relationship with Hera ..."

Oh yes, Amphititre loves her sister very much."

"That she does," Eris agreed. "Her husband however... not so much."

Harmonia watched the smirk unfold in her friend's face, whilst her own distorted into a frown that marred her serene face. Her stomach churned at the thought of what possible trouble this smirk of her contained.

"Please," she said, "be nice."

"You know I always try."

Eris pecked Harmonia's cheek and both of them walked towards the God of the Sea, albeit reluctantly from Harmonia's side.

"Poseidon, what beautiful day to take a stroll. I hope you take the same joy in watching the scenery as we are," Harmonia spoke sweetly. She took the first word, scarred of letting her friend do the job.

"Oh Harmonia," Poseidon greeted, his expression changed for a second when his eyes landed on Eris, although he did try to conceal it. "Eris. Indeed, what a beautiful day, I take you both just came back from a visit with my dearly beloved sister."

Eris opened her mouth.

"That is very true. We just enjoyed a nice sit conversation along with Hestia and Themis," Harmonia replied instantly.

Eris rolled her eyes.

Poseidon nodded in appreciation.

"Well, I am glad to hear that and I am sure my dear sister must have enjoyed it as much as you did."

Eris wondered where the usually so cheerfully buoyant and almost clumsy sea god that he suddenly appeared as calm and collected as his better half, rather than **being** the half to his better half.

"How are you doing, Poseidon?" she asked him, in a deceivingly polite voice.

"I am fine... thank you," he replied with cautious hesitance, as he knew better than to trust the Goddess of Discord.

"Really, is that not great? And how is your wife doing? I see that she is not with you."

"No, she is not," Poseidon admitted. "Although she would have liked to, she told me she did not feel as though she was in the condition to travel and I gladly complied in letting her stay for the sake of my wife's healthy welfare."

"Ah I see," Eris nodded in a far too understanding way. "Please excuse me if I had been too forward."

"It is fine. It pleases me to know that you care for my wife's welfare enough to inquire about her, although, like I stated, there is nothing serious to linger your thoughts too long on," Poseidon explained, far too wise to trust the far too polite manner of the Goddess of Strife.

"I was merely surprised, as you have to know. After all, the... less than fortunate circumstances we find ourselves on Olympus in are... to be dealt with precaution. I had hoped your wife's presence might be able to meliorate the situation, but seeing here not by your side, I feared, for a moment, this had been the reason why she actually stayed away."

Eris watched Poseidon with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Harmonia noted, as Poseidon's back stiffened.

"Well, I can assure you, dear Eris, you should not worry too much over that. Me and my wife are doing fine."

"You? Are you concerned by it by any means? I had not had thought that it would affect you as well, however..." Eris trailed off and her voice, so innocently high and concerned, changed its tone as she continued. "I do not think I could blame you if you do feel... _concerned_. As you have every right."

"Indeed, after all, Hera is my beloved sister, as is Zeus, hence, my care and love for my siblings obligates me into worrying for them and the welfare of their sacred marriage."

Eris laughed.

"That is so noble of you, Poseidon," her bell high voice taunted him. "Forgive me for not seeing this. I just had your wife in my thoughts, albeit you cannot blame me either, considering the close bond they share."

Poseidon and Harmonia knew that Eris meant more than their close upbringing under Tethys.

"I mean... they share so many ... similarities. I am sure that no one else understands the situation better than your wife, as well as how Hera must be and had been feeling. Out of everyone, she must be the most... _affected_ one, is she not? So confused..."

"Eris-"

"Poseidon," she interrupted him and his seething tone, with fluttering eyes.

"You should cease with your implies."

"My implies? But dear Poseidon... it was not my intention to imply anything." Finally, Eris abandoned her innocent pretense. "What I said is just what I am thinking and what is probably just the truth."

They heard a gasp.

"Eris..." The goddess of harmony, as well as her friend was shocked, slowly whispering her name in an unbelievable manner.

"Harmonia," Eris replied short and curtly, stubbornly leaving her no space to reply.

"Poseidon-" Harmonia turned to the offended sea god, only for him to turn her down.

"Harmonia..." he countered with a sigh, his voice filled with exhaustion.

It was her turn to sigh. She knew she should not have left Eris speak and even then, she should have intervened when her gut told her so, after all, as the Goddess of Harmony, she would feel the disturbance that was about to occur. But she had not. Now she was left with no other choice but to watch the two of them helplessly and wishing it would stop.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Hestia asked Themis, who stayed to help her with the dishes.

"I think that people should not meddle in matters that are not their's, otherwise..." Themis trailed off, knowing that there was no need to speak out words that could be understood without spoken.

"You know that is not I meant."

"But it is not as though I can say what you want to hear either, no?"

"Themis..."

"Hestia."

"It cannot go on like this."

"Is it so? You never had a problem with it before," Themis continued teasing her, that, however, ceased the moment she saw the serious stare. "Well, if you desire to know it, I fear I can only give you an opinion of what I know about and you know, that my specialty lies... not in familial ties or anything matters the heart."

"That is not true," Hestia rebuked her softly, which made Themis look away.

"You want to know what I think? I think Harmonia was right," the Goddess of Justice declared. "Something _is_ changing. Hestia, you know very well that there is a balance for everything within this world and in order for peace and justice to reign, this balance must be kept and in no way endangered."

"Hm..." Hestia hummed, listening to the words that spoke out what she was already thinking.

"Hera... The Lady Hera completes our King and in a way, she is his **counterpart.** He needs her. They are the supreme example, as well as our role model, of how we have to behave, of our limits, good as bad and our values, at least what we should or should strive to be. However..." she trailed off, her mind searching for the right words, although a part of her did wonder whether there are any right words. "When things happen, that no one had seen coming, that had never been before,... then it's a something new, a surprise, which might knock people out, because they had not counted on it. It confuses them."

"It is a mere confusion."

"It is something that had not happened before," she corrected her.

"But she always returned before," Hestia argued.

"Yes, indeed. She always did..." Themis seemingly agreed. "She returned... _before_."

* * *

"I think he was rather... touchy, no? The way his face contorted to suddenly by the mere mention of her name. How beautiful it was..."

Eris laughed.

"Why did you have to mention... the latest thing. As the reigning King of the Sea, he has probably enough to trouble on, without you adding more pressure on his role."

"You know as well as I do and everyone else, that this was not the reason behind it."

"Eris..."

_"Amphitrite **was **raised along with Hera and rumors say that they shared a close bond as siblings only could have, even if they did not share the same blood in that respect_. _Amphitrite was also raised by Tethys and Oceanus, additionally living underwater and thus enjoying a rather wild and free life. Although I do not know her well, I would not be surprised that she does share a few traits with Hera,_"she quoted. "Actually, it is you and Themis that are to blame, after all, you were the one, who had given me this information."

Harmonia remained quiet.

"And let us not forget how alike their husbands are..." Eris repeated, with an evil glint in her eyes. "Marital problems are most fun to watch."

Her min was filled with wild imagination of what was and what could occur.

"Eris," Harmonia spoke in a chiding tone.

"Do not tell me that you do not find it interesting, as well."

Harmonia sighed in frustrated resignation and turned away, deciding to not deign her behavior with an answer of her's.

"Harmonia, I mean it. What do you really think of all of this?" Eris asked Harmonia, whilst walking with her with their arms linked together.

"About what?"

It merely earned her a chuckle.

"You know what I mean..."

"Those are matters that should better be left untouched by others."

Her answer was curt and brusquely and Eris suspected that she resented her for what had happened.

"Would you say we are outsiders? For I doubt that, considering it would affect all of us."

Harmonia wanted to argue on that, but Eris merely raised her eyebrow, knowing that even her innocent goddess friend of harmony would not be capable of deluding herself into denying this.

"In this world," Eris began,"there is nothing personal. In a world like this, where everyone is in one way tied to another, there are no outsiders, there is no privacy."

"Do not be crude."

"I am crude... Just cruel," she explained and pecked her on her cheek.

"Divorces are a terrible thing, one of which you should not talk to lightly about."

"A divorce hm..." Eris shook her head. "Do you think... but she has never really expressed such thoughts before. They always make such a pretty perfect picture."

Harmonia eyed her, listening and watching Eris express of disgust.

"Yes..." she said, her eyes slightly turning to the direction where Poseidon went down. "She _used_ to..."


End file.
